Means for rotating turnbuckles and the like



wie YK Aug. 23, 1955 p, J, CLARKE 2,715,843

MEANS FOR ROTATING TURNBUCKLES AND THE LIKE Filed June 8, 1954 FIG! INVEN TOR.

PALFYRICK J. CLARKE WWW AGENT llllll Il fl United States Patent O MEANSFOR ROTATING TURBUCKLES AND IHE LIKE Pan-ick J. Clarke, Duluth, Minn.

Application June s, 1954, serial No. 435,291

s claims. (Cl. 74-417) This invention relates to means for rotatingturnbuckles and the like which require rotation in two directions fornormal operation.

Turnbuckles are used extensively on boats, docks, and the like, totighten cables and guys. These turnbuckles require the use of a wrenchor bar for rotation and require a great deal of time, relativelyspeaking, to rotate to proper adjusted position.

It is one of the principal objects of my invention to provide animproved turnbuckle and rotating means therefor which can be operatedmore quickly and eiliciently than conventional turnbuckles.

Another object is to provide a turnbuckle or the like which is providedwith a pair of oppositely disposed bevel gears, the gears being spacedapart to receive the guide or mounting member of the drive mechanism forrotating the turnbuckle or the like in either direction, one of saidgears being employed for driving the gear in each of its rotatabledirections, and the guide or mounting member being insertable fromopposite sides of the gears for engaging one of the other of the gears.

Another object of my invention is to provide a removable drive mechanismwhich may be employed for rotating any turnbuckle equipped with gears inaccordance with my invention thereby providing for reduced overall costof an installation and providing convenience in operation ot thedevices.

Another object of my invention is to provide a drive mechanism forrotating turnbuckles equipped with my invention which may be poweredmanually or by suitable motor means as desired.

Another object is to provide means for rotating turnbuckles and the likeon their longitudinal axes in either direction by means of a quicklyattachable and detachable drive mechanism.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become moreapparent as the description proceeds.

ln the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. l is an elevational View showing the turnbuckle with my inventionin operating position relative thereto.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the drive mechanism.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the turnbuckle being rotated by means of myinvention.

In the drawing the reference numerals 1 1 indicate the opposed ends of acable intermediate which a turnbuckle 2 is connected for tightening orloosening the cable in a conventional manner. The turnbuckle comprises acentral or body member 3 which normally is rotated to draw the eyes 4 4towards each other or to permit them to move away from each other bymeans of the threaded stems 5 5 which are threadedly carried in oppositeends of body member 3. The turnbuckle and cable are old in the art.

ice

My invention relates to means for rotating the body member 3 on itslongitudinal axis in either of its rotatable directions. In the case ofa turnbuckle the rotation of the body member 3 in two directions willcause the eyes 4 to move away from the body member 3 (provided the eyesare held stationary, of course) and the rotation of the body in theopposite direction will cause the eyes to move toward the body 3.

In my invention I provide a sleeve member 6, and I mount a pair of bevelgears 7 8 thereon, the gears being rigidly fixed to the sleeve 6 andbeing spaced apart as shown to provide a slot or angular opening 9between the bevel gears. The gears 7 and S preferably have their toothedsurfaces 10 and 11 respectively facing away from each other, as shown.The sleeve 6 serves to mount the gears 7 and 8 on the turnbuckle 3 orthe like, the sleeve being fixed relative to the body member 3, ofcourse, whereby the rotation of the gears will cause the rotation of thebody.

In order to rotate the gears 7 and 8, I have provided a drive gear 12mounted on a shaft 13 carried in a suitable housing 14 which containsbearings, not shown, and which may contain reduction gears, not shown,if desired.

The housing 14 is secured to the guide or mounting plate 15, themounting plate or guide being carried in spaced relation to the gear 12and in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of thegear 12 and shaft 13, as shown. The plate 15 has a portion 16 thereofwhich extends beyond the gear 12 a suitable distance, the purpose ofwhich will become apparent. The portion 16 of the plate 15 has a cut-outor notch 17 therein which extends from the outermost end of the portion16 toward the gear 12. The notch 17 is of substantially the same widthas the diameter of the sleeve 6 so that the sleeve 6 may t into thenotch or cut-out 17 whereby the gear 12 may be engaged on the gear 7 or8 as desired, see Fig. l. The portion 16 of the plate 15 is insertablebetween the gears 7 and 8 in the slot or space 9 between the gears andserves as a guide to hold the gear 12 in driving position relative tothe gear 7 or 8 which it is to engage. The slot or notch 17 is angularlydisposed relative to the axis of rotation of the gear 12 and shaft 13 asis clearly seen in Fig. 2. The angular disposition of the notch 17serves to maintain the gear 12 in driving engagement with the gears 7 or8 which it is intended to drive according to the position in which theportion 16 is inserted in the slot 9.

The gear 12 is intended to be rotated in one direction only so that anelectric drill or similar mechanism 18 may be engaged on the extendingend 19 of the shaft 13 to rotate the gear 1?. continuously in onedirection. 'Ille notch 17 is disposed in angular position so that itwill constantly bias or hold the gear 12 in driving engagement with thegear 7 or 8 it is intended to operate because the gear 12 is driven inone direction only. The notch 17, because of its angular disposition anddirection of rotation of the gear 12, prevents the gears from climbingout of mesh, and eliminates the need for the operator to apply anypressure to hold the gears in mesh to operate or rotate the gears, andthereby cause the turnbuckle body 3 or similar shaft-like member to berotated.

A motor member such as the device 18, shown in Fig. A., may be employedto rotate the gear 12, or an ordinary ,hand brace could be secured tothe shaft 13 for rotating the gear 12 to provide the drives necessaryfor operation of my device.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form of my invention wherein thesleeve 6 is mounted on a drive shaft 2i? so that the drive mechanism 12to 17 may be employed to rotate the shaft 20 in either direction on its3 longitudinal axis. 21 at one end thereof for driving any suitablemechanism in a remote location, such as window opening and closingmeans, awning raising andlowering means and the like.

I Having thus described my invention, what I claim isz y l. Means forrotating the central member of turnbuckles and the like on itslongitudinal axes comprising: a` sleeve mounted on said member to rotatetherewith, a pair of bevel gears xedly mounted on said sleeve, saidgears being oppositely disposed and having a space therebetween,` anddrive mechanism for rotating said gears comprising a mounting platehaving a notch therein to be receivedbetween said gears, a bevel drivegear, means mounting said drive gear on said plate adjacent said slotand in normal relation to said plate, and means forrotating said drivegear, said slot in said plate having an angulary disposition relativetothe axis of rotation of said drive gear to hold the latter in drivingengagement` with either oneof irst said gears.

2. Means for rotating an elongated member on its longitudinal axis,comprising: a pair of bevel gears mounted on said member to rotatetherewith, said gears being oppositely disposed and having a spacetherebetween, and drive mechanism for rotating either of The shaft 20may have a bevel gear` said gears comprising a mounting plate having anotch therein to be received between said gears, a bevel drive gear,means mounting said drive gearon said plate adjacent said slot, andmeans for rotating said drive gear, said slot in said plate having anangular disposition relative to the axis of rotation of said drive geartohold the latter in driving engagement with rst said gears.

3. Means for rotating turnbuckles and the like on theirlongitun'drnal--axesl, saidl turnbuckle having a rotatable body member,comprising: a sleeve mounted on said body member toy rotate therewith,-apair of bevel gears mounted on said sleeve to rotate the latter, saidgears being oppositely dispose'diand having a spaceV therebetween, anddrive mechanism for rotating eithery of said gears comprising a mountingplate having a notch therein to receive said sleeve, said plate beinginsertable between said gears, a bevel drive gear, means mounting saiddrive gear on said plate adjacent saidY slot, and means for rotatingsaid drive gear, said slot in said plate having( an angular dispositionrelative Yto the axis of rotation of said drive -gear tohold the latterin driving engagement with first said gears.

No references: cited.

